Design of a Double Spiral Bevel Gearset

ABSTRACT

It is known that bevel gears are used to transmit rotary motion and torque between intersected axes in case there is no possibility of using a parallel axis gearset, which are of simpler manufacture. Their most common geometries are straight bevel gear, spiral bevel gear and helical bevel gear (skew bevel gear), and all these types of gearset subject the bearings to three types of force vectors, namely: axial, radial and tangential loads which consequently influence their dimensioning. Therefore, any attempt to minimize radial and axial loads will lead to a more economical solution for the bearing’s sizes. 

Thus, the present study aims the development of a conical gearset designed with a double spiral, expecting that radial and axial loads decrease and hence impacts the design of power transmission units, reducing the stresses acting on the bearings, and consequently their weights.

Similar geometry was proposed in the past (a herringbone face gear was manufactured by Citroen); however, the manufacturing processes of that time did not allow such geometry to be developed and applied on a large scale since, in most cases, casting processes were used without a subsequent surface finishing process. Nevertheless, with the development of CNC machines with 5 or more axes and additive manufacturing processes, the design of double spiral bevel gears becomes feasible with the possibility of being applied in a wide range of applications.

Pages: 11

ISBN: 978-1-64353-044-4

Authors: Horácio Albertini, Thiago Cardoso, Márcio de Souza, and Diego Alves